PI ANALYSIS … LOBBYING FIRMS FIRING UP POLITICAL CASH MACHINES: Most of the political action committees sponsored by the nation’s largest lobbying firms raised and spent more money in February than they did in January, a PI analysis of new federal campaign finance records indicates. The trend makes clear that K Street has no intention of sidelining itself as federal-level campaigns heat up across the country.

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The PACs of such firms as Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, Patton Boggs, Van Scoyoc Associates, Holland & Knight, Williams & Jenson, DLA Piper, Wexler & Walker each recorded income and spending increases in February. Hogan Lovells raised more money in February — but spent less — than in January. The month-over-month numbers for Greenberg Traurig, Covington & Burling and the Glover Park Group were either flat or decreased, federal records show. Several other large firms’ PACs such as those for Brownstein Hyatt Farber & Schreck, Cassidy & Associates, BGR Group, Alston & Bird, McDermott Will & Emery and Prime Policy Group choose to disclose their finances quarterly and aren’t scheduled to file their next reports until April.

UNION SHOULDRETHINK OUTSIDE SPENDING STRATEGY, TOP AFSCME OFFICIAL SAYS: As the American Federation of State, County and MunicipalEmployees executive council conducts its annual meeting in D.C. this week, a leading candidate for the union’s presidency is urging colleagues to rethink their investments in big-dollar, federal-level expenditures promoting presidential and congressional candidates. “We’ve become too Washington-centric,” Danny Donohue, now president of the Civil Service Employees Association/ AFSCME Local 1000 in New York City, told PI today. “You have to be concerned with Congress and the president. But the advertising, the super PAC spending … realistically, it becomes nothing but white noise. We have to get back to what made AFSCME strong — grass roots.” Donohue was particularly critical of $1 million in anti-Mitt Romney independent expenditures that AFSCME made earlier this year.

Those are strong words for a union that during the 2010 election cycle ranked only behind the Service Employees International Union when it came to outside spending among labor unions — $13.2 million in all — on federal races. Donohue says he doesn’t want AFSCME to necessarily spend less on politics, but to redirect its resources toward state and local elections, as well as union member mobilization efforts. The union, with its 1.6 million active and retired members, is slated to conduct its election in June. Current Secretary-Treasurer Lee A. Saunders is also seeking the office. Current President Gerald W. McEntee is retiring.

LONELY LOBBYING JOBS ACT? PI often writes about swarms of K-Streeters taking to Capitol Hill to influence lawmakers. But the JOBS Act, which the House is expected to consider this afternoon, was a lonely affair up until recently, according to Podesta Group's Izzy Klein.

“You can probably count on one hand the number of lobbyists that are spending copious amounts of time on this issue,” said Klein, who lobbied for SecondMarket, an alternative trading system for private stock. “Over the last couple of weeks, as we saw things move to the floor, I just heard time and time again, ‘Who else is lobbying on this?’ ”

Other groups lobbying the bill include Wawa and Wegmans, which both retained former Rep. Thomas Reynolds (R-N.Y.) and Doug Dziak, and the National Venture Capital Association. “I think people didn’t see anything happening in an election year,” Klein added, noting that he predicted in a December op-ed that Congress could defy expectations by moving on legislation like this one.

An exciting Tuesday to you, PI Nation. Exciting, at least, for the half of PI born in Buffalo, as he’s about to jump out of his skin in anticipation of tonight’s Buffalo Sabre/ Washington Capitals hockey game, which could very well determine which team makes the NHL playoffs. If you’re there — and even if you’re a Caps fan — swing by the nosebleeds in Section 430, Row 0, and look for the guy in the vintage Alexander Mogilny jersey.

Thank you for reading, tell your friends about what we’re writing, and now, back to the day’s top influence news …

ABRAMOFF CARTOONIST REVEALED! The creator of a provocative anti- Jack Abramoff cartoon ( http://bit.ly/GCTg3g ) commissioned by the American League of Lobbyists — anonymous until now — has confirmed his identity to PI. And artist Michael Wren of Saginaw, Mich., has some pretty strong thoughts, too, about the former super lobbyist who’s now collaborating with good government groups and conducting an image rehabilitation tour of sorts after serving prison time for his various misdeeds.

“Jack Abramoff should not be allowed anywhere near D.C.,” Wren told PI. “Also, whoever is letting him get away with profiting from a crime by selling his book should be arrested as well. Isn't that against the law? Even though proceeds are going toward restitution, isn't that still profiting him by not having to pay for his crime without the benefit publicity?”

As for the cartoon itself, Wren described his thinking for it this way: “I decided to put the TV brand on the horse because [Abramoff] is using the media as a vehicle to hawk his book and carry him back to Washington, D.C. The castoff prison garb is between him and the Indians to indicate the chronology of events. The Capitol building is slightly askew to show that the process is both imbalanced and crooked.” He had considered, he said, drawing Abramoff in a “wolfish” manner then dressing him in sheep’s clothing, but the American League of Lobbyists opted for a more straightforward approach. See Wren’s portfolio here: http://bit.ly/H583F3

MIDWEEK FUNDRAISING ROUNDUP: Amid budget debates, transportation rows and, oh, that little health care reform spat over at the Supreme Court, plenty of congressional members are finding time to attend to the business of raising money here in D.C. Among them:

- Sen. Kay Hagan (D-N.C.) is the special guest at a lunchtime fundraiser Wednesday for Rep. Shelley Berkley (D-Nev.), who herself is running for the Senate. The event will be conducted at the offices of lobbying firm Avenue Solutions, with hosts including Avenue Solutions’s Tracy Spicer and Amy Tejral. Minimum suggested contribution is $500. Invite here: http://bit.ly/GU19CK

- Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) wants you to join him at noon Wednesday midway between the White House and Capitol at Central Michel Richard, where getting through the door costs $500 for an individual, $1,000 for a PAC. http://bit.ly/HgG2WQ

- Rep. Jason Altmire (D-Pa.) is conducting a lunchtime fundraiser Wednesday at The Source, where the minimum donation is $500 for individuals and $1,000 for PACs. See the invite: http://bit.ly/HgyYcG

- Bobby Van’s Grill will be the site of a fundraiser for Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-N.J.), at 6 p.m. Wednesday. Winning Strategies Principal Alex DelPizzo and Managing Partner Donna Mullins are listed as hosts. Minimum contribution is $500 for individuals, $1,000 for PACs.

MCDERMOTT WILL & EMERY BOLSTERS LOBBYING RANKS: The law and lobbying firm McDermott Will & Emery has named former Massachusetts Democratic state Sen. Steven Baddour a partner in its McDermott Government Strategies practice. He’ll be based in the firm’s Boston office. “Through his decade-long and successful tenure in the state legislature, Steve Baddour has proven to have the right mix of experience, dedication and passion to be a successful lawyer and lobbyist here at McDermott,” said Steve Ryan, head of the firm’s government strategies practice group.

SPOTTED: Former Hill aides Blain Rethmeier, now of U.S. Travel Association, and Blair Latoff of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce were spotted at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing this morning. It wasn't just a stroll down memory lane for the two, both of their bosses — Chamber's Tom Donohue and the travel group's Richard Dow — testified on the job creation potential of travel and tourism.

LUNG ASSOCIATION HEADS TO HILL: More than 100 American Lung Association reps will be carrying the banner of the group’s “Red Carriage Campaign” to Capitol Hill in defense of the beleaguered Clean Air Act on Wednesday. ALA reps were spotted by PI this morning outside the Capitol South metro stop, handing out materials to the masses. Wednesday's demonstration is timed to coincide with the House Energy and Power Subcommittee’s hearing on the Gasoline Regulations Act, sponsored by subcommittee Chairman Ed Whitfield (R- Ky.). Whitfield has called representatives from the Affordable Power Alliance, EnergyNorthAmerica, CountryMark Cooperative and Crowell & Moring, among others, to testify. ALA will not testify at the hearing.

TIPPENS DEPARTS HILL: Longtime congressional aide Julie Tippens is the new director of strategic partnerships at the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare after serving stints as chief of staff to Rep. Colleen Hanabusa (D-Hawaii) and to then-Rep. David Wu (D-Ore.). “This is a great opportunity to help expand the reach of the organization and build partnerships with the growing ranks of those who are concerned with the future of these crucial programs and families’ economic security in this country,” Tippens said in an email Monday announcing the move.

CONGRESSMAN FORMS NEW LEADERSHIP PAC: Rep. Jeff Duncan (R-S.C.) has a new leadership PAC — the Jobs, Energy and Our Founding Fathers PAC,JEFF PAC — which he can use to raise and spend money separate from his campaign account. Members of Congress may use leadership PACs to make donations to political brethren, fund travel and tout political ideologies, among other noncampaign activities. Lisa Lisker will serve as treasurer.

KARL ROVE’S FIGHT CLUB: A coalition that helped Republicans retake the House majority in 2010 is back and plotting even bigger plans in 2012, with more money, more players — and more problems. The top conservative operatives who make up the alliance were scheduled to huddle this week behind closed doors to discuss how to spend hundreds of millions of dollars to attack President Barack Obama and congressional Democrats. And participants were reminded in an email that the gathering shares a key rule with Fight Club: no talking about it. Kenneth P. Vogel has the story: http://politi.co/GVv6la

AUDIO … PI ON THE AIRWAVES: Dave joined WBEN-AM 930 in Buffalo, this morning to dish about presidential debates at the health care reform debate raging before the U.S. Supreme Court. Listen here: http://bit.ly/HcRINP

NEW POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE FILINGS: Zilch.

NEW LOBBYING REGISTRATIONS: Zero.

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Authors:

About The Author

Anna Palmer is a senior Washington correspondent for POLITICO and co-author of POLITICO’s Playbook, the most indispensable morning newsletter for the biggest influencers in politics.

Anna covers the world of Congress and politics, and has successfully chronicled the business of Washington insiders for years. Her stories take readers behind the scenes for the biggest fights in Washington as well as the 2016 election.

Prior to becoming POLITICO’s senior Washington correspondent, Anna was the co-author of the daily newsletter, POLITICO Influence, considered a must-read on K Street.

Anna previously covered House leadership and lobbying as a staff writer for Roll Call. She got her start in Washington journalism as a lobbying business reporter for the industry newsletter Influence. She has also worked at Legal Times, where she covered the intersection of money and politics for the legal and lobbying industry, first as a staff writer and then as an editor.

A native of North Dakota, Anna is a graduate of St. Olaf College, where she was executive editor of the weekly campus newspaper, the Manitou Messenger. She lives in Washington, D.C.

About The Author

Dave Levinthal reports on political influence issues for POLITICO. Before joining POLITICO, Dave worked for two years as editor of OpenSecrets.org at the Center for Responsive Politics, where he oversaw the Center's original journalism and provided analysis to hundreds of television, radio and print news outlets.

Between 2003 and 2009, Dave reported on Dallas City Hall for The Dallas Morning News, and from 2000 to 2002, covered the New Hampshire Statehouse for the Lawrence (Mass.) Eagle-Tribune. He graduated from Syracuse University with degrees in newspaper journalism and political philosophy and edited The Daily Orange.

Some may argue, but there is no more dedicated Bills fan than this Buffalo, N.Y., native.